Road roller



Oct. 1, 1935. c. F. GREINER ET AL ROAD ROLLER Filed Nov. 21, 1934 Kayla? & M M M 2 v 4 P H a, I Q n) k a 1 NE trim? w Wk Patented Oct. 1, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,015,891 ROAD ROLLER Ohio Application November 21, 1934, Serial No. 754,166

16 Claims.

Our invention is a novel improvement in road rollers, and the principal. object of our invention is to provide a road roller of the three-axle type in which the rollers or wheels on the rear axle are for driving purposes, and the front roller and intermediate roller in advance of the driving rollers are both arranged for simultaneous steering, the intermediate roller being pivoted by and with the front roller but being pivoted a lesser amount, substantially proportionate to the distances of the intermediate and front rollers from the rear axle, whereby the road roller may be caused to traverse a curve without appreciably dragging (if any) the intermediate or front rollers.

A further object of our invention is to provide means whereby the front roller which is carried by a yoke, is pivoted at its center on a vertical as well as a horizontal axis, but the yoke pivot carries a removable collar which normally prevents the pivot from vertically moving in its trunnion, so that the lower peripheries of the three rollers lie in the same plane, and the weight of the front end of the machine when in motion, will be transferred from the front roller to the intermediate roller (or vice versa), depending upon which roller is encountering a raised portion or obstruction in the road surface, this transfer of weight tending to cause the machine to roll a plane surface since at no time can the lower periphery of either the front or intermediate roller drop below the plane of the other two rollers, which dropping would result in further accentuating a depression in the road surface. Said collar when removed permits the yoke of the front roller to move vertically with respect to the frame of the road roller, thereby resulting in a mounting for the front roller which is not only steerable but which is horizontally pivoted so that the yoke can tilt laterally to conform to the contour of the road surface it is passing over,

. her to the front roller, but is provided with suitable removable rollers engaging removable rubbing1plates on the frame for normally holding the horizontal plane of the axle of the intermediate roller parallel with the axle of the driving rolls. The rubbing plates or rolls may be removed when transporting the roller over rough roads to prevent twisting strains from being set up in the roller frame. 5

We will explain the invention with reference to the accompanying drawing which illustrates several practical embodiments thereof to enable others familiar with the art to adopt and use the same; and we will summarize in the claims 10 the novel features of construction and novel combination of parts for which protection is desired.

In said drawing:-

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of-a road roller em- 18 bodying one form of our invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the forward portion thereof.

Fig. 3 is a reduced diagrammatic plan view similar to Fig. 2 showing a modified form of our ingo vention.

As'shown, the road roller is preferably of the three-axle type and consists of parallel side frames A, carrying journals at their rear ends for the rear axle B which carries the driving 35 rollers or wheels C. A motor or engine D is mounted in the side frames A for driving the axle B in the usual manner; and in rear of the driving wheels C is the usual operators platform E. The forward ends of side frames A are arched a0 upwardly as at A over the intermediate roller 1, and parallel extension frame members I, I, are bolted or otherwise secured'to the forward ends A of the side frames, said frames carrying the trunnion castings 2 and 3 which are arranged in 35 tandem and which receive the pivots 4a, 5b of the yokes 4 and 5 in which the front roller 6 and intermediate roller I are respectively journaled. The extension frame members I are securely held in spaced relation by the trunnion 40 castings 2, 3, although same may be further reinforced by any other desired means.

In Figs. 1 and 2, on the upper end of pivot to, of front yoke 4 is an arm 8 connected by an adjustable link 9 to a pin Illa fixed on a worm gear 45 segment l0 which latter is journaled at lllb on a cross-plate ll mounted upon the top of the side frames I. The pin Illb extends downwardly througha lower cross-plate Ha and has a nut Ille on its lower end. A turnbuckle 9a is interposed 50 in link 9 for purposes of adjustment. Similarly the upper end of pivot So for the intermediate yoke 5 carries an arm l2 connected by link I 3,

.having a turnbuckle I3a, to a pin lOc fixed on the worm gear segment ID, the arrangement of 86 links and levers being such that movement of the segment III will pivot both yokes 4 and 5 simultaneously but in proportional amounts. Since the pin Inc of the intermediate yoke 5 is disposed nearer the pivot I0b of worm segment I ll than is the pin IIla, the turning movement of the yoke 4 for the front roller 6 will be proportionately greater than that of the yoke 5 for intermediate roller 1. The location of pin IOc should be such that the ratio of the turning movements of yokes 4 and 5 is substantially proportional to the distances of the front and intermediate rollers from the driving axle B, thus permitting the road roller to traverse a curve without materially dragging (if any) the rollers 6 or I.

Journaled in bearing bracket l5a on the frame I and meshing with the worm gear segment I0 is a worm I5 carried by steering rod I6, which rod extends upwardly and rearwardly to a position above the operator's platform E. A hand crank I8a on the rear end of rod I6 provides a means whereby worm I5 may be rotated to pivot the segment I0 and consequently the rollers 6 and I. If desired power means (not shown) for operating the shaft I6 may also be provided.

In Fig. 3 a modification is shown in which the arms 8 and I2 (Fig. 2) are replaced by sprockets 20, 2|, the sprocket 2I on the intermediate yoke pivot 5a being proportionately larger than the sprocket 20 on the pivot 4a of the front yoke. A chain 22 runs around the sprockets. The worm segment 23 is mounted directly on one of the pivots 4a, 5a, the same being shown as mounted on pivot 5a of the rear yoke 5, and the segment 23 meshes directly with the worm I5 on steering rod I6.

Around pivot 4a for the front yoke 4 above the trunnion casting 2 is a collar I! (Fig. 1) which is useful under certain conditions to prevent vertical movement of the yoke pivot 4a with respect to the trunnion 2 or side frames I so that the lower peripheries of the three rollers lie in the same plane, and the weight of the front end of the machine when in motion, will be transferred from the front roller to the intermediate roller (or vice versa), depending upon which roller is encountering a raised portion or obstruction in the road surface, this transfer of weight tending to cause the machine to roll a plane surface since at no time can the lower periphery of either the front or intermediate roller drop below the plane of the other two rollers, which dropping would result in further accentuating a depression in the road surface. Under some working conditions however collar I1 is removed permitting the pivot 4a to move verticaly with respect to the'trunnion 2 and side frames I, thereby making it possible for the outer ends of the frame members I to raise or lower, when operating on a rough road, with respect to the front roller 6, so that the intermediate roller 1, when over a crest in the road, will not have to carry the weight of the front roller 6 and yoke 4 which would tend to pivot the road roller frame on the intermediate roller I as a fulcrum, leaving very little weight of the vehicle on the driving rollers C for propulsion of the road roller. Hence by our construction the front roller 6 may have a steering movement as well as horizontal pivoting action on the usual pins 41: and can moreover raise and lower when desired with respect to the side frames I to conform with the contour of the road surface it is passing over. When collar I1 is not removed the lower peripheries of all the wheels or rollers are locked in a plane.

The intermediate roller 1 is mounted in the trunnion castings'3,and the yoke 5 is not permitting any vertical movement with respect to the side frames I, and the upper face of yoke 5 is provided with removable rollers 20 for engaging removable rubbing plates III on the undersides of 5 the frames I in order to hold the horizontal plane of the axle of the intermediate roller 1 parallel with the axle B of the driving rollers C. By the above construction the front roller 8 only is free to tilt laterally when passing over uneven road 10 surfaces. However we do not consider our invention limited to a non-tiltable intermediate roller. The intermediate center roller should in most cases when in operation remain parallel with the rear axle, but in other cases, 15 as when transporting the road roller over rough roads, or when turning the road roller around, may be permitted to pivot or tilt lat- V erally (like front roller 4) on its horizontal pivot pin 53: (Fig. 1) in order to minimize strains in the 20 road roller frame, in the yoke 5 and trunnion 3. In place of the rubbing plates I8, a segment of a circular track might be used, or the rubbing blocks I8 alone without the rollers might be used.

-We do not limit our invention to the exact forms 25 shown in the drawing, for obviously changes may be made therein within the scope of the claims.

We claim:

1. In a road-roller, a frame; three ground rollers mounted in the frame in tandem relation; 30 means for driving one end roller; and means for simultaneously steering the other two rollers; the lower peripheries of all said rollers lying in the same plane, whereby when the road-roller is in motion weight of the frame will be transferred 35 from one steering roller to the other to cause the road roller to roll a plane surface; and the center of gravity of the road roller being disposed between the driving roller and the intermediate roller so that as either steering roller engages a 40 raised portion of the road surface the weight necessary for propulsion on the driving roller will be maintained thereon.

2. In a road-roller as set forth in claim 1, the steering means pivoting the steering rollers in 5 arcs substantially proportional to their respective distances from the driving roller.

3. In a road-roller, a frame; three ground rollers mounted in the frame in tandem relation; means for driving the rear roller; means for 50 simultaneously steering the front and intermediaterollers; and means for maintaining the lower peripheries of all the said rollers in the same plane, whereby when the road-roller is in motion weight of the frame will be transferred from one 55 steering roller to the other to cause the road roller to roll a plane surface; and the center of gravity of the road roller being disposed between the driving roller and the intermediate roller so that as either steering roller engages a raised por- 60 tion of the road surface the weight necessary for propulsion on the rear driving roller will be maintained thereon.

front roller to shift vertically with respect to the plane of the lower peripheries of the other two rollers.

7. In a road-roller, a frame; a rear axle journaled therein; means on the frame for rotating the axle; driving rollers on said axle; a pair of trunnions mounted in the frame in tandem relation in advance of the axle; yokes pivoted in the trunnions; ground rollers carried by the yokes; means for simultaneously pivoting the yokes; and means for maintaining the lower peripheries of the ground rollers and of'the driving rollers in the same plane, whereby when the road-roller is in motion weight of the front end of the frame will be transferred from one ground roller to the other to cause the road roller to roll a plane surface, and the center of gravity of the road roller being disposed between the rear axle and the adjacent trunnion so that as either ground roller engages a raised portion of the road surface the weight necessary for propulsion on the rear driving rollers will be maintained thereon.

8. In a road-roller as set forth in claim 7, the steering means pivoting the ground rollers in arcs substantially proportional to their respective distances from the driving axle.

9. In a road-roller as set forth in claim '7, said maintaining means being removable to permit one ground roller to shift'vertically with respect to the plane of the lower peripheries of the other ground roller and the driving rollers.

10. In a road-roller as set forth in claim 7, said maintaining means being associated with the front roller and being removable to permit the front roller to shift vertically with respect to the plane of the lower peripheries of the intermediate roller and the driving rollers.

11. In a road roller, a frame; a wheeled rear axle :Iournaled therein; means-for driving the axle; a pair of trunnions mounted in the frame in tandem relation in advance of the axle; yokes pivoted in the trunnions; ground rollers carried by the yokes; a steering rod; means associated with the steering rod for simultaneously pivoting the yokes; and means for maintaining the horizontal plane of the axle of the intermediate roller parallel with the rear axle.

12. In a road roller, a frame; a wheeled rear axle journaled therein; means for driving the axle; a pair of trunnions mounted in the frame in tandem relation in advance of the axle; yokes pivoted in the trunnions; ground rollers carried by the yokes; a steering rod; means associated with the steering rod for simultaneously pivoting the yokes; and means for permitting the yoke of the front roller to shift vertically with respect to. the frame.

axle jc-urnaled therein; means for driving the axle; a pair of trunnions mounted in the frame in tandem relation in advance of the axle; yokes pivoted in the tnmnions; ground rollers carried ,by the yokes; a steering rod; means associated with the steering rod for simultaneously pivoting the yokes; means for maintaining the horizontal plane of the axle of the intermediate roller parallel with the rear axle; and means for permitting the yoke of the front roller to shift vertically with respect to the frame.

14. In a road roller, a frame; a wheeled rear axle journaled therein; means for driving the axle; a pair of trunnions mounted in the frame in tandem relation in advance of the axle; yokes pivoted in the trunnions; ground rollers carried 20 by the yokes; a steering rod; means associated with the steering rod for simultaneously pivoting the yoke in amounts substantially P portional to their respective distances from the rear axle; and means for maintaining the horizontal plane 5 of the axle of the intermediate roller parallel with the rear axle.

. 15. In a road roller, a frame; a wheeled rear axle journaled therein; means for driving the axle; a pair of trunnions mounted in the frame so in tandem relation in advance of the axle; yokes pivoted in the trunnions; ground rollers carried by the yokes; a steering rod; means associated with the steering rod for simultaneously pivoting the yokes in amounts substantially proportional 5 to their respective distances from the rear axle; and means for permitting the yoke of the front roller to shift vertically with respect to the frame.-

16. In a road roller, a frame; a wheeled rear axle journaled therein; means for driving the 40 axle; a pair of trunnions mounted in the frame in tandem relation in advance 'of the axle; yokes pivoted in the trunnions; ground rollers carried by the yokes; a steering rod; means associated with the steering rod for simultaneously pivoting 45 the yokes in amounts substantially proportional to their respective distances from the rear axle; means for maintaining the horizontal plane of the axle of the intermediate roller parallel with the rear axle; and means for permitting the yoke 50 of the front roller to shift vertically with respect to the frame. e

CARL F. GREINER. ANDREW W. AITKEN. 

